The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-05-19
A STOLEN RIDE,

Cornclia Amir said Mrs. Boxwood.
Cornclia Ann thought that that might
very possibly be. Ms. Boxwood had
frequently talked to her, until She Cor
neia Ann, as well as the old lady-was
tired also. And she knew likewise that
when Mrs. Boxwood called her 'Cornelia
Ann" instead of "Conny," she was very
angry indeed.
Il didn't mean any harm, aun!y,"
murmured Cornelia Aun, hanging down
her head.
'Mean!" echoed Mrs. Boxwood. "And
you girls dressing up pumpkin-hcaded
ghost to frighten Deacon Hubbard, at the
end of the lane, and filling Old Mrs.
Higgins bonnet with burdock burrs,
and putting an old almanac inside Elder
Hopgood's sermon cover, so that when
he opened it to begin preachin' he was
clean flambcrgasted out of his Senses"
swell, but aunty," argued the cul-
prit, she said that Lulu and l were lost
wretchcs and would certainly be cast
into pcrdi,ion. He hadn't any business
to say that! Aud Mrs. Higgins told
you that Lulu and I helped the boys to
lock ou. the schooma'a am, and it wasn't
true. We hadn't thing to do with it.
It's bad enough to be blamed for the
mischief that we do, without any addi-
tional accusation," she added with
pout. "And 1 hope--yes, l do hope
that she had an awful time getting the
burrs out of her old tow colored wig!
As for Deacon Hubbard, we all know
that he says that there isn't a.y such
thing as ghosts; so why need he be
afraid of pumpkin on the end of a
pole, with white sheet wrapped around
it9 Aud Pm afraid, aunty," she added,
with roguish sparkle in her eyes, "that
he's coming here to carry you off! Aud,
for all you scold at us 50 much, Lulu and
I don't want to lose you'll"
la, chill" said Mrs. Boxwood,
highly flattered. II never thought o
such thing! amt going to change
my widowed condition at my time O
life, not for all the deacons going! But
am surprised, COMFY"
At this stage of affairs, however,
Mrs. Boxwood was called away, and
Conny made her rejoicing escape.
Conny was no brand from the tu~n-
ing no double.dyed assassin, but simply
wild romp, overfowing with health and
spirits, who never paused to consider
whether or no she was going too far in
her mad escapades or not.
Some of the neighbors called her
handsome.
'She has cheeks like an apple bios
son." said Mrs. Phillips, "and 1 never
did see such eyes They're the lovliest
blue, and they sparkle like diamonds
when she gets to talking"
And others pronounced her as plain
as pike-staff, so that Conny really did
not quite know what to think of herself.
Squire Dana, an old friend of hel
father, laughed himself red in the face
when he heard Of her wild fro!ics.
'Let her alone" said hc--'Iet hel
alone. She'll come out all right. IT..
the the most valuable fillies that gallor
the hardest in pasture when they're
young
And Elder Hopgood declared, with
melancholy groan, that Cornclia Anr
Boxwood was certainly on the high road
to destruction if ever girl was.
On this particular day Conny wen
out with sigh of relief.
The level, crimson sun seemed to res
a moment on the top of the western
woods before disappearing.
''It's very hard to be scolded all tn
time" said she to herself. ~ will hav
little walk to rest myself from Aun
Boxwood's household cares and labors
and the stocking darning must wait nnti
tomorrow"
So Conny ran through the fragran
woods, listening for the merry ripple Q
the brook, and whistling back wit
shrill sweetness to the good might chirp
of robin, thrush and winged black
bird in the tree-tops, until she came to
solitary farmhouse on the edge of tn
lake.
1t was past sunset now. The youn